Packer for wells



rates h ter.

2,781,853 rat-emits Feb; 19,1957

7 2,781,853 PACKER FOR WELLS Robert C. Rhmbleand'Beldon A. Peters, Houston, Tex., f assignors, by theme assignments, to Esso Research and Engineering-"Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of Delaware- Application December 17,1953, setter No. 3%,721 9 Claims. (Cl. 166-137) The present invention is directed to a well packer. More particularly, the invention is directed to a packer which .may-be'l'owered on a wire line through a tubing string in a well. Inits more specific aspects, the invention is'directed to a well packer which will seal the walls of a well bore and isolatea lower zone from an upper zone to excludeflowof fluids from the zones.

The present invention may be briefly described as a well paekerhaving a body member and amandrel slidablyv attached to the body member which is provided with a longitudinal passageway for flow of fluids through the mandrel. The mandrel is provided with a port co-m municating the passageway with an exterior surface of themandrel. Arranged on and connected to the mandrel abovetheport isat least a spring member which is connected at alower end to the body member. A deformable packing member is attached to the mandrel at a .point above the port and to the body memberenclosing a space surrounding the port and the spring member. A slidable sleeve completely encloses the deformable member to protect same when lowering the packer on a wire line through a tubing string-and the like.

' The well packer is provided With means for releasing the s'lidable sleeve and the mandrel to free and inflate the deformable packing member to expand the springs and the packer member into contact with the walls of a well.

The releasing means for the slidable sleeve comprises a rod member which is attached to the slidable sleeve and isslidably arranged in a passageway in a rack member arranged in the body member. The rack memberhas an engaging means which is designed to :move outwardly into Contact with the wall 013 a well on downward movement of the rack member. The rod member attached to the slid-able sleeve hasa free end enclosed by-a. cage arranged in the body member and the rod member is held against movememrenuve to, the body, member 'byv a spherical member in the cage member, the rod memberresting on the spherical member.

' Arranged in alower end of the body member is a piston cylinder, provided with a piston having an elongated member vattached-to the piston. The elongated inemberihas an, engaging means on a first end thereof in mierativer'elationship with the cage such that on movement of the clot? gatedniember forcontact of the engaging means with the iispheri'cal member, the spherical member isreleased from the cage to allow the rod member to move downward through a passagewayin the elongated member pulling the. slidable sleeve with it and freeing thedeformable member.

The elongated member is proyided with means for Fig.3 is a sectional view of the lower portion of thede-,

vice of the present invention; and

Referring now to the drawing,,numeral 11 design ates jaman'drel 'provided'on an upper end with a cage 12 and a fishing spear 13. The fishing spear is adapted to be engaged by engaging means-14 attached to a wire line 15 for suspending the well packer from the ,w'ellheadof a well. The mandrel 11 has 'a section 1190f reduced size and the reduced section 1 6 of'the mandrel lland therriandrell'l proper has a central or longitudinal passageway 17 which is provided with a'port 18 which communicates the central passageway 17 with an'ext erior surface of the mandrel. The mandrel is *slidably attached-to the upper-end of a body member 19. The mandrel 111 is provided with-a p'lii: rality of horizontally sp'aced'apart spring member'sZt) which are arranged 'aroundthe reduced section 16. v The spring members '20 are hingedly attached to themandrel 11 by hinges 21 and to the upper end of the bodymember 19 "by hinges .22. Enclosing a space 23 and the spring members 2!} isa deformable packing member 24 which is suitablyfconstructed of either syntheticor natnral rubher or a plastic deformable material. The deformable packing member is connected to the mandrel 11 by means of a slidable ring 25' and a lock ring 26 arranged above theport 18 on the mandrel ll.

:Completely surrounding and enclosing the deformable member 24is a slidabl'e sleeve 27 which seats against-a shoulder 28 of the slidable ring 25. The lower end of the deformable packing meiriber 24 is held against the upper "end cf the body member 19 by a slidablc'ringfor sleeve'zil and locicring The loweriend of the reduced section id ot the mandrel 11 is embraced by the upper portion of the body member 19 which is threaciably engaged by mating threads 31 with a slotted section 32 of the body member 19 provided with oppositely opposed longitudinal slots 33 for move} ment of pin 34 in the slots 33. The pin '34 isarranged' in a passageway 55 on the upper end 36 of a'slidable rod member 37. This rlofd member 37holds the slidable sleeve 2'7'jagainstrel'ative movement with respect to body member-119 to enclose the deformable packing" member,

Surrounding therod member 37 is a biasin'g'm'eans-38,

such asa helical coil spring, the lower end or which rests against a 'shoulder8'9 'oifa rack member 4b provided with a passageway 41throughwhich the rod member 37 is slidably arranged. Th'e 'rack member this inoperative rela;

tioriship with the teeth. '42 of at least a'latchingdog. having a pointed end for engagement with the wall of a I well; A plurality 'oilatchingdogs'or engaging means May which may be three in number vare .pivotally connected to the body memberlflii and ,e'ach arranged in a recess 45' of the body memberw. v v

Surrounding the upper end of the rack member is a biasing means 46, s'uch as a helical coil spring, one end of which bears against the shoulder 39 and the other. end of which'bears against an internal shoulder 47 in the bodymeniber 19. v A. free end. 43 of the rod member 37 is arrangedin a cage .49 in achamber 50 ofthe body member'19fi The cage is slidably arranged on asleeve- 5lzwhichis con,-

nected to a wall member 53 which separates the re'ce ss" i5 frornthe chamber 59. The lower"e'nd of sleeve 51 is providedywith an external flange which enmeshedcage 49 and which engages beneath-'the upper' wall v cage 49 .to support and limit downwardmover'nent of theji cage 49 on sleeve 51. This cage 49 is biaseddownwardly" by. a weak spring 4% arranged be'tweencage 49 and the wall Inemberi53. 1 Arranged in thecage'49 -is a; spherical. member 54which bears-the weight of the rodi meinber" 37 and preventsuthe rodmember STfrOm'moVirrgdOWiF wardly with respect to the body member 19.

In the lower end of the body member 19 is provided a dash pot assembly generally indicated by numeral 55 which is threadably connected by mating threads 56 to the body member 19. This dash pot assembly 55 is provided with a piston cylinder 57 in which is arranged a piston 58 connected to an elongated member 59 which has an engaging means 60 on one end thereof protruding into chamber 50 in operative relationship with the cage 49. The elongated member 59 has a passageway 61 for receiving the rod member 37 when the latter moves downwardly with respect to the body member 19.

The elongated member 59 is surrounded or embraced by a biasing means 62, one end of which is attached to a wall member 63 between the chamber 50 and the piston cylinder 57 and the other end of which is attached to the upper end 64 of the piston 58.

The piston cylinder 57 is provided with a floating member 65 which is slidably arranged on the elongated member 59. This floating member 65 is provided with a passageway 66 for filling the dashpot chamber with the proper hydraulic fluid. Floating member 65 allows for temperature expansion of this fluid.

The lower end of the dash pot assembly 55 is closed by a plug 67 threadably connected by mating threads 68 with the dash pot assembly 55. The plug 67 encloses the end 69 of the elongated member 59 which is provided on its inner surfaces with an engaging means or threads 70 for engaging with a setting tool which will be described further. I

The wall member 53 is provided with a recess 71 in which is arranged a sealing member, such as an O-ring 72, to seal the rod member 37 on passage through the wall member 53 and to prevent ingress of Well fluids into the chamber 50. Likewise, adjacent the mating threads 56 in the wall member 53 is a recess 73 in which is arranged a sealing member, such as O-ring 74, to allow a positive seal.

The wall member 63 is also provided with a recess 75 in which is arranged a sealing member, such as an O-ring 76, to prevent leakage as the elongated member 59 moves through the wall'member 63. p

The piston 58 is provided with a recess 75a in which is arranged an O-ring 75b. The piston 58 is also provided with a passageway 77 for fluids and a passageway 78 including a ball check valve 79 to control fluid flow therethrough.

The slidable member 65 is also provided with recesses 80 and 81 in which are arranged, respectively, sealing members 82 and 83, such as O-rings.

The plug 67 is also sealed against leakage adjacent the mating threads 68 by providing a recess 84 in which is arranged a sealing member, such as an O-ring 85.

The upper end of body member 19 is provided with a recess 93 in which is arranged a sealing member 94, such as an O-ring, to seal section 16 and the body member 19 against fluid leakage from space 23.

Referring now to Fig. 4, numeral 90 designates a setting wrench provided with threads or surfaces 91 for engagement with the engaging means, threads, or surfaces 70 of the end 69 of the elongated member 59.

The device of the present invention operates in the following manner:

The apparatus is lowered into a well by means of a wire line 15 attached by engaging means 14 to a fishing spear 13 on the upper end of the mandrel 11, the device being held in tension by means of the wire line 15.

Prior to lowering the device in the well, the releasing means is set by unscrewing the plug 67, the dash pot chamber having been previously filled with the proper hydraulic fluid, and engaging the threads 70 with the threads 91 of the wrench 90 and pulling the elongated member 59 downward with respect to the body member 19 to its lowest position. This causes the hydraulic fluid in the dash pot chamber below the piston 58, such as a silicone fluid and the like, having a viscosity of about 45,000 SSU at 100 F., to flow through the passageways 77 and 78 of the piston 58 into the upper portion of the piston cylinder 57. This will set the instrument to release the dogs 43 and to pull the sleeve 27 from around the deformable member 24 at a predetermined time which can be determined for the depth in a well in which the instrument is to be lowered by making the port 77 of the proper diameter. As the instrument or tool is lowered into the well, the member 59 gradually and slowly travels upwardly until it engages the cage 49 when the predetermined time interval has transpired. In the operation of the instrument one makes sure that he can lower the instrument to the desired depth and have some time to spare before this predetermined time interval will have transpired. As the cage 49 is contacted by the engaging means 60, the cage is moved upwardly with respect to the sleeve 51 which allows the spherical member 54 to move outwardly in the cage 49 and free the end 48 of the rod member 37 for relative movement with respect to the body member 19. The rod member then moves downwardly through the passageway 61 pulling the sleeve 27 from around the deformable member 24. The well fluids cause the rod member 37 to be forced downward, the pressure being exerted against rod member 37. The port 86 allows fluid to enter the passageway 17. After sleeve 27 moves downwardly with respect to the mandrel 11, the spherical members 87, which are biased outwardly by a tapered end on section 16 are free to move outward because of the larger diameter of sleeve 27 on its upper portion. This movement of the spherical mem bers 87 allows the section 16 of the mandrel 11 to move downwardly with respect to the body member 19 on slacking off of the wire line 15, the dogs 43 having moved outward in the recess by movement of the end 36 of the rod member 37 against the biasing means 38 which overcomes the biasing means 46. The lower end of sleeve 27 carried downward by pin 34 in passageway 35 ultimately comes to rest against a cushion 92 which may be constructed of deformable material, such as rubber.

With the latching dogs 43 in engagement with the walls of the well and fluid entering the passageway 17, this fluid is free to flow into the space 23, the springs 20 serving to cause space 23 to be enlarged and to permit fluid from the well to fill space 23. Meanwhile the mandrel 11 to which the locking ring 26 is attached has moved downwardly with respect to the body member 19 a suflicient distance to bow outward the springs 20. Thus, the space 23 becomes filled with well fluids which flow through port 18 from passageway 17. Thereafter slack is let on the wire line 15 to cause the mandrel 11 to move downwardly as far as it will go to expand the deformable member 24 into engagement with the walls of the well bore, the mandrel 11 and its reduced section 16 having moved downwardly a sutficient amount to close oif the port 18 by the body member 19, trapping the well fluids in the space 23 and causing expansion of the deformable packing member into sealing contact with the wall of the well.

After the instrument has been used, it may be released by taking up slack on the wire line 15 and raising the mandrel 11 which causes the dogs 43 to drag along the well bore and to be free to move downwardly in the recess 45 which allows the instrument to be moved up the hole through a pipe or tubing string and the like. The instrument may be re-set at successively higher levels if desired.

The invention has wide utility, especially in operations conducted through a tubing or pipe string. The invention may be used to pack off a lower section from an upper section against flow of fluids around the instrument and allowing or providing flow of fluids through the well packer as desired.

The nature and objects of the present inventionhaving been completely described and illustrated, what we wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A well packer comprising a body member, a mandrel slidable in said body member, said mandrel being formed to provide a longitudinal fluid passageway and to provide a port adapted to fluidly communicate said passageway and the exterior of said mandrel, a plurality of spring members connected to said body member and to said mandrel, the connection of said spring members to said mandrel being above said port, a deformable packing member surrounding said spring members and sealingly connected to said body member and to said mandrel, the connection of said packing member and said mandrel being above said port, said port adapted to be positioned within said packing member when said packing member is in initial retracted position, means on said body member for retaining said mandrel from movement relative to said body member when said packing member is in initial retracted position, means on said body member adapted to release said retaining means to permit said mandrel to move relative to said body member whereby said relative movement expands said spring members radially outwardly thereby expanding said deformable packing member and fluid from within said passageway enters said expanded packer and further relative movement between said mandrel and said body member closes oflf said port to entrap said fluid within said deformed packing member and maintains said expanded packing member in sealing relation with the wall of the well.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein a slidable sleeve is provided initially enclosing said packing member and connected to said releasing means, both said sleeve and said releasing means being adapted to be moved relative to said body member, said sleeve being formed to provide ports adapted to fluidly communicate said fluid passageway and the exterior of said body member when said sleeve has been removed from said enclosing relation.

'3. A well packer comprising a body member, a mandrel slidable in said body member, said mandrel being formed to provide a longitudinal fluid passageway and to provide a port adapted to fluidly communicate said passageway and the exterior of said mandrel, a plurality of spring members connected to said body member and to said mandrel, the connection of said spring members and said mandrel being above said port, a deformable packing member enclosing said spring members and sealingly connected to said body member and to said mandrel, the connection of said packing member and said mandrel being above said port, said port adapted to be positioned Within said packing member when said packing memher is in initial retracted position, retaining means on said body member for retaining said mandrel from movement relative to said body member when said packing member is in initial retracted position, movable means arranged on said body member adapted to release said retaining means, a slidable sleeve initially enclosing said packing member connected to said retaining means and adapted to be moved relative to said body member, said sleeve being formed to provide ports adapted to fluidly communicate said fluid passageway and the exterior of said body member when said sleeve has been removed from said enclosing relation, delay means on said body member adapted to move said movable means to release said retaining means to permit said mandrel to move relative to said body member whereby said relative movement expands said spring members radially outwardly thereby expanding said deformable packing member and fluid from within said passageway enters said expanded packing member and further relative movement between said mandrel and said body member closes 05 said mandrel port to entrap said fluid within said deformed packing member and maintains said expanded packing member in sealing relation with the wall of the well.

4. A well packer comprising a body member, a mandrel slidable in said body member, said mandrel being formed to provide a longitudinal fluid passageway and to provide a port adapted to fluidly communicate said passageway and the exterior of said mandrel, a plurality of spring members connected to said body member and to said mandrel, the connection of said spring members and said mandrel being above said port, a deformable packing member enclosing said spring members and sealingly connected to said body member and to said mandrel, the connection of said packing member and said mandrel being above said port, said port adapted to be positioned Within said packing member when said packing member is in initial retracted position, first retaining means on said body member for retaining said mandrel from movement relative to said body member when said packing member is in initial retracted position, a slidable sleeve initially enclosing said packing member and adapted to be moved relative to said body member, said sleeve being formed to provide ports adapted to fluidly communicate said fluid passageway and the exterior of said body member when said sleeve has been removed from said enclosing relation, a rod connected to said sleeve, second retaining means arranged on said body member and associated with said rod, delayed action means on said body member, said second retaining means being operatively engageable with said delayed action means whereby said delayed action means releases said second retaining means to permit said rod to move downwardly to release said first retaining means to permit said mandrel to move relative to said body member whereby said relative movement expands said spring members radially outwardly thereby expanding said deformable packing member and fluid from within said passageway enters said expanded packing member and further relative movement between said mandrel and said body member closes off said mandrel port to entrap said fluid within said deformed packing member and maintains said expanded packing member in sealing relation with the wall of the well, and wherein said sleeve is moved from said enclosing relation upon movement of said rod.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 including anchoring means operatively connected to said rod whereby movement of said rod actuates said anchoring means.

6. A device as recited in claim 5 wherein said anchoring means comprises a plurality of radially outwardly movable dogs, a rack mounted on said rod, teeth provided on said dogs engaging with said teeth whereby movement of said rod causes movement of said dogs into anchoring relationship with the wall of the well.

7. A device as recited in claim 5 wherein said first retaining means comprises a plurality of spherical members mounted on said sleeve member, said spherical members initially supporting said mandrel and adapted to move from said supporting relation upon movement of said sleeve.

8. A device as recited in claim 7 wherein said second retaining means comprises a cage movably arranged in said body member, a spherical member mounted in said cage, said spherical member initially supporting said rod and adapted to move from said supporting relation upon movement of said cage.

9. A device as recited in claim 8 wherein said timed means comprises a dashpot assembly arranged on the lower end of said body member, said dashpot assembly including a piston operatively engageable with said cage to move said cage to actuate said second retaining means to release said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 7,244 Martin July 25, 1876 1,539,242 Carder May 26, 1925 2,216,268 Fritsche Oct. 1, 1940 2,549,728 Villines Apr. 17, 1951 2,630,864 Lynes Mar. 10, 1953 

